


The Fact That Time Was Running Out For Us All

by BohemianGryffindor06



Series: Joger Week 2021 [6]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Bumping Into A Familiar Face, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Roger Still Loves John A Bit, Years After John's Retirement, surprise meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:13:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BohemianGryffindor06/pseuds/BohemianGryffindor06
Summary: Roger gets back from Queen + Adam Lambert's latest tour and immediately bumps into a familiar face, shocking them both...Roger was almost frightened to look away. In case he disappeared just like the many other times he’d thought he’d seen his face in a crowd over the years. Instead, he slowly moved over to his side, to where he was picking out a bunch of red roses.“John?”“Roger? What are you doing here?”Part Six of Dealor/Joger week.
Relationships: John Deacon/Roger Taylor, John Deacon/Veronica Tetzlaff, Sarina Potgieter/Roger Taylor
Series: Joger Week 2021 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138496
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32
Collections: Joger Week 2021





	The Fact That Time Was Running Out For Us All

**Author's Note:**

> Rating is for any swearing and sexual references. Title is from Time Waits For No-One by Freddie Mercury himself. (:

Roger had no intention of stopping at first. The aim was to go straight home, eager to see his wife after so much time apart.

But the cute little florist on the corner caught his eye from the back of the taxi and he couldn’t resist. He asked the taxi driver to pull over just long enough for him to pick Sarina out a bunch of gerbera daisies, her favourites.

He found some at the front of the store. That was when he saw _him_.

They’d both aged significantly since they’d seen each other last. But it was definitely _him_.

Roger was almost frightened to look away. In case he disappeared just like the many other times he’d thought he’d seen his face in a crowd over the years. Instead, he slowly moved over to his side, to where he was picking out a bunch of red roses.

“John?”

_“John, it’s only me,” Roger called out as he hung up his keys on the homemade holder that John had put together and screwed into the wall. “Babe, you home?”_

_“In the kitchen.”_

_Roger followed the mouth-watering scent, sniffing appreciatively as he stepped into the room. “Is that chocolate I can smell?”_

_“Nothing wrong with your nose,” John giggled as he set aside the tray of brownies using the oven gloves. “Mum sent over the recipe. Thought I’d at least try and be semi-productive during our time-off.”_

_Roger scoffed in response. “More than what I’ve done.”_

_They’d not long gotten back from touring. In a couple of months’ time, they’d be in the studio again._

_John had taken to baking and wiring up their new speakers in the living room._

_Roger had practised the drums in their basement and attempting to write new song material. But he hadn’t got very far._

_It didn’t matter. They were home and they could finally relax. It was the one of the few places they could. Their only source of privacy away from the hype that came with being in Queen._

_“Ooh, lovely. Can I have a taste now?”_

_“No, you can’t!” John said, quickly smacking his hand away. “Wait until after dinner. I swear you have no willpower whatsoever.”_

_“I haven’t, no,” Roger admitted with no shame as he leaned in to kiss John on the cheek. “Not around you, babe.”_

_“Loser,” John teased with a roll of his eyes as he set aside the oven gloves. “Did you buy anything nice at the shop?”_

_“Maybe. That would be telling, what with your birthday just a few weeks away.”_

_Roger hid the small plastic bag behind his back more protectively as John’s eyes lit up in response. “Oh yeah? Got me a present, have you?”_

_“Will power, Deaky!” Roger teased, wiggling his finger in front of his face, as John began to close the distance between them._

_“Said the pot to the kettle.”_

_Roger squealed as John attempted to reach for his arm. He ran from the room, with John chasing him into the living room._

_“We both know I could do this all day, Rog. You might as well give it up,” John teased, as the two stepped from side to side, the sofa wedged between them._

_“Maybe so, but I’m like a whippet. You’ll have to catch me first, Deaks.”_

_Even so, Roger was slightly out of breath already._

_He made a run for the door, with John hot on his trail. As if sensing defeat, Roger threw the bag to the top of the stairs just as John’s arms collided around him with a giggle._

_“Cheat!” John said in amusement. “I just hope you didn’t buy anything fragile.”_

_“Nah, much better than that. You’ll like what I’ve got. It’s very…lacy,” Roger teased, wiggling his bum against John’s crotch to get the point across. He turned and wrapped his arms around his neck. Just in time to catch the way John’s eyes darkened in response._

_“Is that so?”_

_“Yep. If you’re a good boy, I might even give you a sneak peek now.”_

_John gave a weak huff as Roger’s hands moved to squeeze John’s arse. He’d always had a thing about it. Especially in those tight flares John insisted on wearing. They also made his legs look incredibly lean._

_“I’m always good, Rog, you know that. You on the other hand…”_

_“Pfft, that’s what you like everyone to believe, but I know different. Besides, it’s much more fun breaking the rules,” Roger insisted as he tugged John closer towards the staircase by the beltloops._

_“How about we break some more then? Enjoy my birthday present early. You did promise me a sneaky peek after all.”_

_Roger raised his eyebrow in response. “I did, didn’t I? Follow me then, lover boy.”_

_With that, Roger took his hand and lead him upstairs. John responded by playfully whacking him on the arse, causing Roger to giggle in response._

That sweet, twenty-four-year-old version of John was long gone. As he grew older and responsibilities arose, John stepped up. It was hardly surprising, given that he was the most sensible out of the four of them, despite being the youngest.

But that became more apparent when Freddie went. Though, his death irrevocably changed all of them for good.

Instead, stood a man who looked his age. His rapidly dwindling hair was practically all grey, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Even his crow’s feet had grown much more prominent.

And yet, those green eyes still maintained the briefest hint of mischief. He still had the infectious smile that Roger had fallen in love with all those years ago.

“Roger? What are you doing here?”

Roger shook his head a little dazedly, still shocked by the fact that it was really him.

“I erm…I just got back from the tour. Thought I should probably get Sarina some flowers first.”

“Good idea,” John said carefully, before he looked down at the flowers nestled under his arm. “These are for Veronica. It’s our anniversary today.”

Roger had completely forgotten, given that he was no longer duty-bound to send them a card. He still bothered with birthdays and Christmases, even when he got nothing back. Whatever happened in the past, John was important to him. Even if that feeling was no longer mutual.

“Happy anniversary.”

“Thank you.”

“What is it. Forty-five years now?”

John smiled a little in response. “That’s right. Reckon she deserves a medal for putting up with me for so long.”

Roger smiled back a little uncertainly, ignoring the ache he felt at John’s words.

He should feel happy that John seemed in such good spirits. And he was. But there was a voice in the back of his mind that screamed that that should have been him.

But life sometimes worked out that way, he supposed.

They were polar opposites. Roger spent his life wanting to be a Rockstar and would have done whatever it took to hold onto that. Including, giving up a family if it interfered.

For John, music was a part-time thing. He wanted to settle down, away from the limelight.

Was it wrong of Roger to still want to linger in his company a little longer? It had been years. Seeing him again so out of the blue only served to remind Roger about how much he’d missed him.

“I’d better erm…”

“Yeah, sure. It was nice seeing you.”

John seemed to hesitate at Roger’s words. “Yeah, it was…Look, I…I know I’ve not exactly been a good friend in recent years—”

“John, I would never think that—”

“Still,” John said with a small shrug. “It was…easier that way. Most of the time.”

A flash of pain appeared in his eyes. Before he quickly buried it back down again.

“Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I received the cards you sent over the years. I kept them. I just…guess I was just never very good at knowing what to say back.”

Roger swallowed thickly in response. He was partly relieved John had at least got them. And partly saddened to hear that John felt like that.

“Maybe we could…go for a coffee? That’s if you still want anything to do with me. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.”

Roger immediately shook his head. “Don’t be silly, John, I’d love that.”

John smiled in response, a sense of relief in his eyes. “Great. Well, erm…I’ll send you an email, and we can arrange something.”

“Perfect.”

By the time Roger got back into his taxi, he was struggling to keep the smile off his face. He was suddenly really glad he’d decided to stop off at the florists on the way home.

—

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed my take on that prompt! I'd love to know what you thought. Take care everyone. <3


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